Wallpaper - Gilded New York Map

Designed by Laura Marshall, our Gilded New York Map wallpaper presents an artistic interpretation of New York City’s urban layout. Golden, foil-like textures map out the street grids across Manhattan, Brooklyn, and Queens, while the Hudson and East Rivers are rendered in cool, textured grey tones against crisp white street lines. The combination of warm sunshine yellow gold and mottled grey gives the piece a graphic, cartographic presence that balances architectural precision with a decorative finish. Like all our wallpapers, this design is made-to-measure and printed on PVC-free paper with a subtle physical structure.

In the room

Because the city grid creates a detailed, intricate network of shapes, we find this design works particularly well on an uninterrupted focal wall in a living room, study, or home office. Giving the map a wider wall area allows the full geography of Manhattan and its surrounding boroughs to unfold naturally without feeling crowded. In a home office or study behind a desk, the graphic lines provide an engaging backdrop that adds character without overpowering the workspace. In a living room setting, positioning the wallpaper along the main wall behind low-profile seating keeps the detailed street layout visible and maintains a clean visual horizon across the room.

Styling it

To let the detailed cartography remain the clear focal point, we recommend keeping surrounding furniture relatively calm and structured. Mid-century modern or contemporary furniture with clean silhouettes pairs naturally with the linear geometry of the city grid. Warm wood finishes, such as walnut or mid-toned oak, bring out the golden tones in the landmasses, while dark charcoal or matte black metal accents on lighting or shelving echo the graphic precision of the print. Keeping larger upholstery in neutral, solid fabrics prevents competing patterns from distracting from the intricate map.

Colour combinations

The wallpaper is defined by its rich metallic-look gold and sunshine yellow tones contrasted against textured slate grey and bright white lines. When decorating around it, neutral wall colours such as warm off-whites, soft greys, or muted stone create a seamless transition on adjacent walls. If you want to introduce deeper contrast, rich charcoal or deep slate grey drawn from the river areas works wonderfully on accent joinery, shelving, or trim.

About our wallpaper

At Wallism, our wallpapers are made-to-measure based on your specific wall dimensions, which helps reduce unnecessary excess wallpaper during decorating. Every design is printed on PVC-free wallpaper paper featuring a subtle surface structure, and is designed to be straightforward and simple to hang in your home.